10 Forest Fires and their Prevextion. 



estimates, and sonietiiues only very rough estimates at that, as it would 

 have been impossible to obtain definite figures without an immense 

 amount of trouble and expense. 



THE WEATHER I\ 1910. 



As the condition of the weather, especially the amount and local 

 distribution of the precipitation has a great deal to do with the fre- 

 quency and severity of forest fires, a brief review of the weather condi- 

 tions for 1910 will add interest and value to this report. 



The past year was notCAVorthy for two quite severe droughts, extend- 

 iug over the entire State, though generally more severe in the eastern 

 part. The greatest deficiency in precipitation occurred in March, the 

 rainfall for that month being less than for any previous March for 

 which there are any records. Practically no rain fell after March 

 12th. This droughty condition, which lasted up to the middle of April, 

 and was accompanied by high Avinds, made the danger from forest fires 

 very great. Destructive fires broke out in many counties before the end 

 of March and continued with increasing frequency and severity up to 

 the middle of April, when a general rain restored normal conditions. 

 June was a Avet month, the rainfall all over the State being markedly in 

 excess of the normal. HeaA-y summer rains continued at intervals until 

 September, Avhen dry Aveather again commenced, though in the moun- 

 tains rain fell generally until October. The fall drought lasted until 

 December 3d. November Avas very dry, only about one-fourth of the 

 normal rainfall occurring over the Avliole State. Very seA'ere fires 

 occurred during this season, both in the mountains and in the eastern 

 part of the State. Altogether, the year 1910 showed a slightly greater 

 rainfall than the previous year, though a little less than the normal 

 amount of precipitation Avas recorded. 



TABULAR STATEMENT. 



The folloAving tables have been compiled from the information fur- 

 nished by voluntary correspondents all over the State. There Avas only 

 one county AA'hich did not send in any report, and most counties AA^ere 

 represented by three or four correspondents. This, it is realized, is quite 

 insufficient to get complete reports, but it is enough to give some idea 

 of the magnitude of the loss Avhich is yearly experienced, and this, it 

 must be remembered, is the chief object of these tables. It is hoped 

 that another year the number of voluntary correspondents may be 

 greatly increased, thereby enabling the Survey to publish much more 

 complete figures. 



